Allreaders.com

Empress - Godspeaker 1 Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Empress - Godspeaker 1


This is the first installment of the Godspeaker trilogy. It is about a young girl sold to slavery who makes more of herself due to her belief the god has chosen her to rule.
Click here to see the rest of this review...


In the utmost, poor north, a young girl is sold to Traders named Abajai and Yagji. She formed the name Hekat after being called a hell cat due to her feisty nature. They plan to make her a concubine. After purchase and adding to the list of slaves, they travel towards Et-Raklion.

The land is stranger than the normal with abnormally coloured animals inhabiting it.

During the travel, she learns much, including speech, and becomes arrogant, complementing her ambition. She becomes aware that women have a bigger role in other places, about the demon and god, politics, war and her arrogance grows.

She finally speaks to one of the slaves, named Vortka. He is then sold to the godspeaker of the city of Et-Nogolor. They finally reach Et-Raklion.
She's told to live among the slaves and one day, she's given a scorpion amulet in the market. Hekat works throughout the day, hoping Abajai will bring her to the villa and become a Trader. She lives to please him and wishes to be like a son. When she says so, Abajai tells her she is a slave and everything that the special treatment was to increase value.

When he denies loving her and calls her stupid, she attempts attacking Abajai. After a night of thought, she declares herself for god. She runs away to Raklion's barracks where the fierce warriors stay. On the way, she sees two men being punished by a godspeaker and witnesses his scorpion tattoo come to life. Hekat concludes the god is watching over her since she cannot be seen by him.

Upon arrival, she cuts her face deep in order for a scar to form. Meanwhile, Raklion, leader of the city, speaks with Nagarak, head godspeaker, about conceiving a son. They also debate conquest of Bajadek, another warlord, prompting Raklion to discuss war with the warleader, Hanochek. Raklion then meets Hekat, permitting her to join the barracks.

They agree to go to Et-Nogolor and take the war lord's daughter. They succeed and the godspeakers undergo a trial, with Nogolor's godspeaker dying, proving Nagarak is the supreme godspeaker. He takes novice godspeakers from the city, including Vortka.

He and Hekat reunite, with Vorta harbouring obvious feelings for her. She confides her story in him with hesitation and notices the god favours him. Finally, Hekat and the warriors go to war with Bajadek. Raklion becomes attracted to her after she kills Bajadek.

Abajai and Yagji visit the barracks after to reclaim Hekat. She returns to the mansion at night and allows the god kill them through a scorpion amulet. Vorkta becomes aware of everything. Then, she is sent for training in the wilderness with her shell. They come across other city's warriors and defeat them.

When they return, Hekat is sent to warn Raklion about the rouge warriors, indicating cities are preparing for war. His wife and son, born without eyes, dies the same night. He is told this happens because of a sin in his heart, which is revealed to be his wish of a united Mijak. Nagarak scolds him, tests if this is the will of god and tells Raklion that the war will have to wait.

Hekat receives encouragement from god to become the mother of Raklion's children. They mate on the dais in front of his warriors resulting in impregnation. Nagarak and Hanochek don't like this choice. Following labour, the child is revealed to be a mutated stillborn.

Hekat realizes Raklion cannot sire proper children and mates with Vortka. During pregnancy, she encourages Raklion's wish for a united Mijak. She gives birth to a healthy boy, who is named Zandakar. She loves him instantly.

Years later, she's raising him to be a proper lord, setting everything for his rule. It's finally time to go to war. Hanochek and Nagarak don't like the status Hekat has achieved.

At the same time, Vortka undergoes a ritual in the wilderness to graduate from novice godspeaker. He hears from god and understands what to do in the near future. Upon return, he visits Hekat and together, they realize the crystal Vortka found in the wilderness is for Zandakar, who'll become god's hammer. She takes away Vortka's ability to sire another son via her amulet but he's unaware.

Hekat is chosen to accompany Raklion to the heart of Mijak for negotiations. Nagarak kills the other godspeakers and Hekat kills Banotaj, Bajadek's son. Raklion is severely injured. Following the return to the city, Hekat and Hanochek fight. After, Raklion banishes him and names Hekat the new warleader. She hears the god tell her another son is needed and it sends her Nagarak.

He soon dies as a scorpion stung him for knowing Zandakar's true father. Vortka becomes high godspeaker. Soon, Hekat goes into labour and needs to be cut for the child to be born. Raklion suffers a heart attack, names Zandakar the new warlord and names his second son Dmitrak. He dies and Hekat becomes Empress, stating she won't touch Dmitrak ever.

Years later, warlords are defeated under Hekat's rule and she despises Dimmi for ruining her body since she cannot fight anymore. Soon, god tells Hekat it's time for Zandakar, who is soft hearted, to become the hammer of god and she makes a gauntlet for him that has the power of blue lightening. After using it once, Zandakar's hair turns blue.

There is a rebellion in the north and Hekat rides to squash it. She finds it is Hanochek's army and during battle, she kills him. She sends her sons to conquer the rest of Mijak and they do.

Years of success later, Zandakar is tired of killing while Dimmi is ruthless. Zandakar hears a voice, similar to Raklion's, saying it is enough and to return. He falls in love with a woman, named Lilit, of a different race and impregnates her. Dimmit isn't pleased.

He sends her to the Empress, who isn't happy but allows her to stay at the palace. Zandakar returns to Et-Raklion and the Empress is enraged that he doesn't want to conquer anymore. She cuts Lilit's stomach to kill the baby and Dimmi kills Lilit.

Hekat takes the gauntlet from Zandakar and gives it to Dimmi, who does her bidding happily since they are the same.

She orders Vortka to take Zandakar away because if she sees him again, she would kill him.
Best part of story, including ending: The world of Mijak is strange with blood sacrifices and direct communion with the god of the land. It was also a good look into a society that did not care too much about gender.

Best scene in story: Near the end, when it is made obvious that Hekat and Dimmi are almost the same person, due to their similar upbringing and ambition.

Opinion about the main character: Hekat is very hard to like as she is very arrogant and her ambitions are never stopped.

The review of this Book prepared by Shivan Murti a Level 1 Blue Jay scholar

Chapter Analysis of Empress - Godspeaker 1

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence 40%planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 10%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places 20% FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?    -   fantasy world/fantasy past Coming of age    -   Yes Youngster becomes    -   a leading religious figure Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character

Identity:    -   Female Profession/status:    -   warrior/knight Age:    -   a teen Really unusual traits?    -   Extremely cynical or arrogant

Setting

Terrain    -   Desert

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   moderately detailed references to deaths scientific jargon? (SF only)    -   none/very little science jargon needed Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   impregnation/reproduction How much dialogue?    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Books with storylines, themes & endings like Empress - Godspeaker 1

Karen Miller Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian